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Fédération Cynologique Internationale

United Kennel Club

Azawakh

Azawakh

ORIGIN

:

FCI

Mali.

PATRONAGE

:

FCI

France.

PUBLISHED

:

FCI

03.11.2014.

UTILISATION

:

FCI

Sight hunting. The nomads considered the dog equally as a « show piece » and as a companion.

CLASSIFICATION

:

FCI

Group 10

Sighthounds

Section 3

Short-haired Sighthounds

Without working trial

UKC

Sighthound/Pariah

TRANSLATION

:

FCI

Mrs. Peggy Davis.

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY

:

FCI

It is an African sighthound of afro-asian type which appeared in Europe towards 1970 and comes from the Nigerian middle basin, among others from the valley of the Azawakh. For hundreds of years he has been the companion of the nomads of the South-Sahara.

UKC

The Azawakh originated in the Sahel region of Africa. They have been bred by the numerous nomadic tribes of the Southern Sahara as hunting and guard dogs, as well as companions. The hound's vocations were, and still are, the chase, guarding and companionship. The nomads considered the dogs to be a show piece as well as a hunting dog.
The Azawakh was recognized by the United Kennel Club on January 1, 1993.

GENERAL APPEARANCE

:

FCI

Particularly high in the leg and elegant, the Azawakh sighthound gives a general impression of great fineness. His bone structure and musculature are transparent beneath fine and lean tissues (skin). This sighthound presents itself as a racy dog whose body fits into a rectangle with its longer sides in vertical position.

UKC

The Azawakh is a smooth coated sighthound that is very refined and high on leg. In proportion, the breed is taller than it is long. The bone structure and musculature are visible beneath very fine skin.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS

:

FCI

Length of body/height at the withers = 9 10. This ratio may be slightly superior in the bitches.
Depth of chest/height at the withers = about 4 10.
Length of muzzle/length of head = 1 2.
Width of skull/length of head = 4 10.

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT

:

FCI

Quick, attentive, distant, reserved with strangers and may even be unapproachable, but he can be gentle and affectionate with those he is willing to accept.

UKC

The breed is quick and attentive. It is gentle and affectionate with people it accepts, but distant and reserved with strangers.

HEAD

:

FCI

Long, fine, lean and chiselled, rather narrow, without excess.

UKC

The overall appearance of the head is long, dry, lean and chiseled. The planes of the skull and muzzle are often slightly divergent towards the front.

CRANIAL REGION

:

Skull

:

FCI

It is almost flat, rather elongated. The width of the skull must definitely be inferior to half the length of the head. The directions of the axes of the skull and the muzzle are often slightly divergent towards the front. The superciliary arches and the frontal furrow are slightly marked. On the other hand, the occipital crest is clearly protruding and the occipital protuberance marked.

UKC

The width of the skull is distinctly less than half the length of the total head. The skull is almost flat, and rather elongated, with no pronunciation of eyebrow or frontal groove. The occiput is clearly defined and pronounced. The stop is slight.

Stop

:

FCI

Very slightly marked.

FACIAL REGION

:

Nose

:

FCI

Nostrils well opened. The nose is either black or brown.

UKC

The nostrils are well opened. The nose is generally either black or brown; however, nose color in the dilute colored dogs may vary.

Muzzle

:

FCI

Long, straight, fine towards the front without exaggeration.

UKC

The muzzle is long and straight, tapering towards the tip but not pointed. The cheeks are flat.

Jaws/Teeth

:

FCI

Jaws long and strong. Scissor bite.

UKC

A full complement of strong, white teeth meet in a scissors bite.

Cheeks

:

FCI

Flat.

Eyes

The rather large, almond-shaped eyes are hazel to dark brown in color. The eyelids are fully pigmented.

Ears

:

FCI

Set quite high. They are fine, always drooping and flat, quite wide at the base, close to the skull, never a « rose ear ». Their shape is that of a triangle with a slightly rounded tip. Their base raises when the hound is attentive.

UKC

Set quite high, the fine ears are flat and droop close to the skull. They are broad at the base, and taper to a slightly rounded tip. At attention, the ears raise at the base.

NECK

:

FCI

Good reach of neck which is long, fine and muscular, slightly arched. The skin is fine and does not form a dewlap.

UKC

The neck is long, fine, muscular and slightly arched. The skin is fine, and there is no dewlap.

BODY

:

UKC

In proportion, the Azawakh is taller than it is long by about 10%. The chest is well developed in length, but not very wide, and the brisket does not reach to the elbows, giving the breed the look of being very high on leg. The distance from the top of the withers to the bottom of the chest is less than one-half the total height at the withers. The withers are quite prominent, and the topline is straight, either level or rising slightly to the hips. The ribs are long and visible under the skin, slightly curved down to the sternum. The loin is short, lean and may be slightly arched. The hip bones are distinctly protruding, and always placed as high as, or slightly higher than, the withers. The croup is gently sloping.

Topline

:

FCI

Nearly straight, horizontal or slightly rising towards the hips.

Withers

:

FCI

Quite prominent.

Loin

:

FCI

Short, lean and often slightly arched.

Croup

:

FCI

Hip bones: Distinctly protruding and always placed at an equal or superior height to the height of the withers. Croup: Oblique without accentuated slant.

Chest

:

FCI

Forechest: Not very wide. Chest: Well developed in length, deep but without reaching elbow level. It is not very wide but must have enough space for the heart, so, the sternal region of the chest must not abruptly become narrow. Ribs: Long, visible, slightly and evenly curved down to the sternum.

Underline and belly

:

FCI

Underline: The sternal arch is accentuated and joined without abruptness to the belly which is tucked up very high below the lumbar arch.

TAIL

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FCI

Set low, long, thin, lean and tapered. Is covered with the same type of hair as that of the body and has a white brush at its extremity. Is carried hanging with the tip slightly raised, but when the dog is excited, it can be carried above the horizontal.

UKC

The low set tail is long, lean and tapers towards the tip. It has a white brush at the tip. In repose, the tail is carried low, with the tip slightly raised. When the dog is excited, the tail can be carried above the horizontal.

LIMBS

:

FOREQUARTERS

:

FCI

Long, fine, almost entirely vertical; legs perfectly well-set.

UKC

The shoulder blades are long, lean and muscular. They are only slightly sloping when viewed from the side. The angle of the shoulder blade and upper arm is very open (approximately 130 degrees).

Shoulder

:

FCI

Long, lean and muscular and only slightly slanting seen in profile. The scapulo-humeral angle is very open (about 130°).

FORELEGS

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UKC

The forelegs are long, dry and straight, with clean, fine bones. The pasterns are straight and flexible.

FEET

:

UKC

The feet are round, with fine, close toes and pigmented pads.

Forefeet

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FCI

Rounded shape, with fine and tightly closed toes; the pads are pigmented.

Hind feet

:

FCI

Round shaped. Pads are pigmented.

HINDQUARTERS

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FCI

Seen as a whole: Long and lean; legs perfectly vertical.

UKC

Long and lean, with straight, vertical legs. The angle of the pelvis and femur is very open (about 130 degrees).

Thigh

:

FCI

Long with prominent and lean muscles. The coxo-femoral angle is very open (about 130°).

Stifle

:

FCI

The femoro-tibial angle is very open (about 145°).

HIND LEGS

:

UKC

The thighs are long, and have prominent, lean muscles. The angle at the stifle is very open. The hock joint is straight, and the rear pasterns are lean. There are no dewclaws.

Hock

:

FCI

Hock joint and hock are straight and lean, without dewclaws.

GAIT / MOVEMENT

:

FCI

Always very supple (lissom) and with particularly high action at the trot and the walk. The galop is bouncy. The Azawakh gives a great impression of lightness, even elasticity. The movement is an essential point of the breed.

UKC

Correct movement is an essential characteristic of the breed. It must be light, supple and elastic, with high action at the trot and the walk.

SKIN

:

FCI

Fine, tight over the whole of the body.

UKC

The skin is fine and tight.

COAT

:

HAIR

:

FCI

Short, fine, down to none on the belly.

UKC

The coat is short and fine, sparse to non-existent on the belly.

COLOUR

:

FCI

Fawn with flecking limited to the extremities. All shades are admitted from light sable to dark fawn. The head may or may not have a black mask and the blaze is very inconstant. The coat has a white bib and a white brush at the tip of the tail. Each of the four limbs must have compulsorily a white « stocking », at least in shape of a trace on the feet. The black brindling is admitted.

UKC

Fawn, clear sand to dark red, white, black, gray, blue, parti-color, and all shades of brown to include chocolate. With or without white markings and dark mask. Brindle, grizzle and overlays may also be present.

SIZE

Height at withers

:

FCI

Dogs between 64 and 74 cm.
Bitches between 60 and 70 cm.

Weight

:

FCI

Dogs about 20 - 25 kg.
Bitches about 15 - 20 kg.

FAULTS

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FCI

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.